The Unknown
by LeontinaStardust
Summary: Written for the Rare Pairs Number Game Ficathon. Albus Severus is retracing his father's steps, and at the Horcrux Cave he meets somebody unexpected. Albus Severus Potter x Regulus Black slash.


_This was written for the 2013 Rare Pairs Number Game Ficathon. I picked numbers, which generated characters/pairings for me, and from my options I chose Regulus and Albus Severus and came up with this._

_It was fun, but me being me ended up making this dark. There is character death, but no sad ending. _

Albus stepped across the rocks with his arms held out for balance on the slippery surface.

He was in the cave his dad had told him about, the one where Harry had found what he originally thought was a Horcrux, and where his namesake, Albus Dumbledore, had been right before his tragic death. He had wanted to know all about his father's life and his tales; it was all so fascinating.

Albus had just turned seventeen and was doing some travelling before he went back for his seventh year. Of course, his parents thought he was at his best friend's house. Scorpius was aware of this, and Mr Malfoy was more than happy to lie to Harry and Ginny.

Albus had heard all the stories about his dad, and he found them so exciting; much better than boring old school, where the most exciting thing was sneaking into the Forbidden Forest.

The cave had been easy enough to get to now he knew how to Apparate. The enchantments Voldemort had put up were long gone with his death, but Albus had done some research on Inferi, and found because they were technically already dead, they could not die again. As long as he stayed away from the water, they shouldn't bother him, though.

He carefully clambered into the boat and looked around curiously, until the boat bumped against the large rock in the middle of the lake.

A silvery basin stood proudly in the middle of the small island, and Albus edged close to it. It was weird to imagine that all those years ago, two of the most famous names in the Wizarding World had been standing where he was standing now.

"Who are you?" a low voice said, making Albus jump violently.

He turned, wand shaking in his grip, and came face to face with a pearly white figure. His wand hand relaxed; there was no need to be afraid of ghosts.

"Who are you?" the ghost repeated, tilting his head as he studied Albus. "The last humans to be here were Albus Dumbledore, and a boy who looked much like you."

"T-that was my father," Albus told the ghost, trying to look brave; there was a reason he made Ravenclaw and not Gryffindor. "My name is Albus; who are you?"

"A Potter?" the ghost asked. "You remind me of a boy I knew once named James Potter."

"My grandfather," Albus nodded.

The ghost looked around his age, maybe a year or two older, and knowing his grandfather had died rather young, he surmised the man must have been dead for around 43 years.

"My name is Regulus Black," the ghost finally said, and Albus faintly recognised the name belonging to the brother of his dad's late godfather. "My body lies in there," he said mournfully, gesturing to the water. "I drowned, dragged to my death by vile creatures, but chose to come back in this form; I was afraid of death you see. I was afraid of the unknown."

Albus could understand that.

"I am too," he relayed to Regulus. "I'm afraid of everything I can't understand, and of things I don't know. My dad died, only he managed to return to life because he mastered Death, but no matter how many times he's told me the story, I can't imagine what it's like."

"Death itself is peaceful, though the process you take to get there may be painful. It's what lies beyond death which is terrifying," Regulus mused, floating a circle around Albus. "I sometimes wish I had chosen to be brave; it gets terribly lonely here at times. You are the third human I have come across, and the first I have spoken to; I never agreed with Dumbledore when I was alive, you see, and I didn't dare to approach your father with Dumbledore there."

"Why don't you leave?" Albus asked curiously.

"There is nothing for me out there," Regulus informed him. "My family mean nothing to me, and my friends were nothing more than a convenience. Nobody ever truly understood me; I have spoken to you for such a short time, but I feel more connected to you than I have with anyone before."

Albus wasn't quite sure how to respond; he understood that aching loneliness, and feeling outcast from others. Scorpius was his best friend, but their friendship was as Regulus had described his own; a convenience for the odd son of a famous wizard, and the outcast Malfoy heir who didn't make Slytherin – the only place he would have been accepted.

Albus had never fitted in with his family either, who were all lively, a bit hot-headed, and outgoing. Even his smart Aunt Hermione didn't connect much with him; her interest lay in books and facts, not life and philosophy. They loved each other, but that didn't stop Albus feeling so different.

In the end, Albus could only manage to nod, but that gesture seemed to please Regulus.

"I could join you," Albus said slowly, trying to shift through his thoughts. "I could finally understand what it means to die, and to be with somebody I can have meaningful discussions with."

Regulus smiled widely, but then he frowned.

"I couldn't ask you to leave your family," he said quietly, floating over towards the water.

"They would miss me, but my brother and sister are everything my parents are; everything they need," Albus said bitterly.

He didn't have a bad home life; he wasn't abused or neglected. He was, however, lonely, and filled with a resounding fear of death. The possibility of being free of the constraints of his life seemed to give him an unbearable sense of happiness.

"It's lovely to be free, just you see," Regulus stated firmly, dipping beneath the water.

Despite being a ghost, the water rippled, and then a rotting hand reached onto the rock from beneath the lake. Then there was another, and another, and then bodies were rising, dragging Albus down before the panic even had a chance to set in.

The water settled heavily over his head, clammy skin rubbing against his own. But it was peaceful, his mind obliterating any pain.

His brain was emptying, his body floating away. The darkness of the water faded into a blinding white light.

His feet landed on a rocky ground just by a dark, calm lake. He was back in the cave, but the walls were made of a bright white glow, and Regulus was stood by his side, his figure no longer ghostly.

"You did it," Regulus smiled.

He had; he had died, and gone to where his father had been before.

"How do I get back?" Albus asked. "Where do I go?"

"The boat would take you on," Regulus told him, waving his arm to the wooden rowing boat gently rocking on the water, "or you come with me. I had no guide when I died, and this is the first time I've been back; how curious."

He held out his hand, and Albus stared at it for a moment before grasping hold.

Regulus smiled, and lowered his head, pressing his lips faintly against Albus'.

Albus smiled as Regulus pulled back, and entwined their fingers.

"We could go on together," Albus whispered, suddenly overcome with passionate curiosity. "Please, come with me; I don't want to go alone."

Regulus stayed silent, and let go of Albus' hand. Then he moved and stepped into the boat.

"Don't make me regret this," he said lightly, and Albus grinned, running forwards and clambering in besides Regulus.

The boat began to move, taking them both forwards to who knew where, but Albus no longer feared the unknown.


End file.
